About Our Group

Muir of Ord Jogscotland

History: our group began in April 2006 with 8 members. Since then almost 300 have signed up with Jogscotland! Not everyone has continued to jog with the group, but a hard core of about 120 still jog regularly. Our main aim is to encourage beginners to join. They are always supported and encouraged. There is no upper age limit and it is never too late to begin!

As the years have gone by, some ‘beginners’ have progressed from being joggers to becoming runners and thrive on taking part in various events.

Others have joined the group as experienced runners and their presence greatly enhances the camaraderie and the opportunities for improving runners to push themselves that little bit harder!

Regular sessions:

Mondays and Wednesdays at 6.45pm.We meet in the square outside the library in Muir of Ord. After a short warm up folks set off in small groups or pairs and jog or run for about 50 minutes. The slowest people cover about 3 miles and the fastest, over 6 miles. From April through to about the end of September we use routes from the village up to Spittal wood or from the village, via the Black Isle show ground down to the shore at Tarradale via Gilchrist farm – both mainly off-road routes. At the end of the run we do some stretching back in the square.

In winter, we are restricted to running round the village under street lights. We try to find interesting variations on the route allowing folk to run between 3 and 6 miles.

Wednesday afternoons at 1.30 pm: We meet again in the square, but also arrange to meet people 10 minutes later at an off-road location – usually the forest car park at Monadh Mor or at Tally Sow in the Brahan Estate. We try to share transport. Again we warm up, jog for about 50 minutes then do some stretches.

Events: for those interested in taking part in events, 5k (3 miles), 10K (6 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles) or marathon (26.2 miles) then training schedules are available on line from www.jogscotland.org.uk .

Some key local events members of our group regularly take part in:

Inverness half marathon and 5k in March www.invernesshalfmarathon.co.ukPortmahomack lighthouse 10k usually held on Easter Sunday (sign up on the day.)Glenlivet 10K, held for the first time in 2010 in AprilBalmoral Tartan 10K usually a Saturday in April www.run-balmoral.com spectacular route!The Run for Life 5K (for women only) in May in InvernessThe Nairnshire challenge- a 31 mile duathlon at the end of MayThe big jogscotland 5K in Inverness in mid-JuneHighland Cross – midsummer Saturday – a 50 mile duathlon from West to EastThe Great Wilderness Challenge in August – a 13 mile cross country eventBaxter’s Loch Ness Marathon, 10K and 5K, usually the first Sunday in October www.lochnessmarathon.comAviemore half marathon a Sunday in Mid October www.aviemorehalfmarathon.org

Vests: we have fluorescent yellow running vests with MUIR OF ORD JOGSCOTLAND on them. They cost £20 and need to be ordered from Joan.